[2000-11-29-WCW-Thunder] Buff Bagwell vs Scott Steiner

[soup23]

Interview with Buff where they are presenting him as someone that has been passed over throughout his career but he has an opportunity tonight. Buff’s hat is awful. Scott before the match gives Buff the opportunity to walk away. Buff shakes his hand and then turns on him. Buff has some good offense here as the action spills to the outside. Steiner takes over and carries the heat segment on his combo of charisma and suplexes focusing on the back which does make sense given the Recliner. Buff makes his comeback when Sid starts yelling on the Big Screen. Scott is unphased by this as I like this more given people nowadays are frozen still when someone yells on the screen. Blockbuster is hit but Madaja interferes and Steiner takes over and locks in the Recliner to win. Sid vs Steiner doesn’t scream Starrcade main event to me. Good showing from Buff and a fun tv main event defense for Steiner. **1/2

[GSR]

Gene Okerlund is with Buff Bagwell and he says how a few weeks ago Buff talked about getting an opportunity in World Championship Wrestling and tonight he has that, a shot at the World Heavyweight title against Scott Steiner.  Bagwell claims that he stirred a lot of feathers in that interview, telling the truth about never having a chance here in WCW, always being put down and never having an opportunity.  Tonight he has and thinks that that gold will look pretty good around Buff Daddy’s waist!

‘Big Poppa Pump’ reminds Buff about what he did to Booker T, putting him in the hospital, how Sting is in the bed next to him and that he just ended Stevie Ray’s career.  Tonight though he’s in a good mood and is giving him the chance to walk away and avoid a similar fate.  Buff appreciates that, offers his hand and says he’ll take it, only to boot him in the mid-section as this gets started.  Bloody hell, Buff even with a dropkick as it’s like this opportunity has lit a fire under him.  Steiner rolls under the bottom rope to the floor but Buff is right on him, throwing him into the guard rail.  Scotty reverses the whip to the corner, catches Buff on the tip up and slams him into the turnbuckles, tying him in the ‘tree of woe’.  Steinerline/elbow drop/push ups rather than pin, I think he does that routine in every match now.  Bagwell kicks out at two after the belly to belly and Steiner is in the face of the referee trying to intimidate him.  Buff powers out of the double arm stretch, blocks having his head rammed into the turnbuckles before doing the same to Steiner.  He fails to connect on the dropkick but spikes him with a DDT.  Inverted atomic drop, double armed DDT and now he’s the one not going for a cover, preferring to dance instead.  He telegraphs a backdrop and Steiner dumps him overhead.  Sid appears on the big screen, although Steiner is in the zone and paying no attention.  ‘BPP’ sits Bagwell on the top turnbuckle however ‘Buff Daddy’ fight backs with Steiner taking a backward bump to the mat.  ‘Blockbuster’ for a two.  Midajah is perched on the top turnbuckle, which in those heels that’s either impressive or downright daft.  Bagwell catches her attempted crossbody (why is Slick Johnson letting this go by the way?) only to turn around into a Steinerline.  One ‘recliner’ later and Buff has blown that opportunity he wanted.  Steiner puts the hold back on post-match, saying something about Sid Vicious and as Sidney walks down the aisle towards the ring the show goes off the air.

A motivated Bagwell made this much better than I expected, especially when he was on the attack.  Steiner has got his routine, a formula if you will, and he sticks to it.  The flagrant interference in front of the referee was infuriating and why, when Buff goes on about never being given an opportunity is he time wasting and showboating and ultimately blowing it?  Doesn’t make him look the smartest of folk.